The orthopedic immobilization industry has developed a need for a resealable package used with continuous length moisture-curable synthetic splinting materials. Preferred moisture-curable synthetic splinting materials are described in, for example, the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,609,578 to Reed; 4,667,661 to Scholz et al.; 4,774,937 to Scholz et al.; and 5,027,803 to Scholz et al.--all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. These products are typically moisture-curable, i.e., exposure to moisture, including ambient humidity levels, causes these products to rapidly stiffen and form a cured splint or cast.
The requirements for packaging these products include a long shelf life--preferably greater than one year at ambient conditions along with a package allowing easy dispensing of the product. This problem is made more acute because the product is not refrigerated, but is instead typically stored at ambient temperature. For the above reasons, any package for these products preferably forms a hermetic seal which is moisture-impermeable.
Due to the stringent packaging requirements, these products have typically been packaged in single-use packages containing pre-cut lengths of the products. Such packaging, however, sometimes results in wasted product and packaging material as well as the increased costs of individually packaging each pre-cut length of casting/splinting material.
Attempts have been made to package these products in continuous-length packaging to avoid the waste associated with pre-cut length packaging. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,770,299 to Parker, 4,869,046 to Parker and 4,899,738 to Parker all disclose a medical bandaging product packaged in an outer sleeve of a moisture-impermeable material such as an aluminum foil laminate. The moisture-proof outer sleeve package must be as long as the product contained therein. The products are typically rolled up and placed in a box and then unrolled and cut to length with the packaging material being resealed after each use. This packaging system has the advantage of allowing the product to be cut to the particular length desired, but also has several disadvantages.
Those disadvantages include that packaging the material as a roll in a box produces many creases in the relatively stiff aluminum foil packaging laminate which is typically used for packaging. The creases are a source of pinholes which leak and cause premature curing of the product in the package. Also, because the entire length of the product must be enclosed in an outer wrap of the packaging material, a relatively large amount of packaging material is used which adds to the cost of the product. Finally, the closure systems used with such packaging are cumbersome and ineffective, allowing the product to harden on the end nearest the opening between uses. As a result, the material must be typically cut twice, once to remove the hardened portion and once to cut the desired length of material needed. This adds to waste when the product is stored in the above manner.
One attempt to solve the problems associated with packaging the entire length of the product is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,970 to Parker et al. That patent discloses a continuous length splinting material packaged in an outer container formed of a moisture-impervious material. The bulk of the product is stored in an enlarged area with an elongate dispensing sleeve extending from the enlarged area of the package.
The package appears to include two side panels having an enlarged area and tapering to form the sides of the extended sleeve and a strip used to connect the sides of the package and form the top and bottom of the extended sleeve. As depicted in the drawings and described in the specification, this package is not easily manufactured using existing packaging equipment. In addition to the problems with the packaging, the patent also fails to disclose an effective and easy-to-use means of sealing the extended sleeve of this package between uses.
The opening must be sealed between uses to avoid moisture penetration of the package and, therefore, curing of the product within the package. The disclosed methods of sealing the opening include clamps, such as a tongue and groove scissor clamp; moisture-proof pressure-sensitive adhesive tape; a "ZIPLOC.TM." brand-type Seal; and gaskets used in conjunction with spring-loaded compression, leverage clamping or screw action devices.
These methods have proven less than desirable in use. The more secure of the devices are difficult to use which increases the amount of time the package is open during use, thereby allowing moisture to enter and harden the material therein. Conversely, the sealing methods which are easy to use form seals of questionable integrity which allow moisture penetration into the package even when the seal is closed.